School began again this past week. I only have 21 more first days of school until I can retire. Actually I can retire whenever I want, yet after this past week and the occurrence of a specific event, I do not see myself retiring for quite some time.
It was hectic. I did not have near as much coffee as I needed. Students showed up. Students skipped class. Students spoke when I spoke. They didn't raise their hands. I got frustrated. I missed my children. My alarm clock still works. Girls wore their shirts too low. Boys wore their pants too low. I handed out textbooks. I reviewed French numbers. I had my first taste of a week at high school ... as a teacher. All in a day's work. Nothing new.
However something new did happen this week that I am not used to at all. I heard a "thank you." A true honest heart felt thank you, from a parent.
As I pulled into a gas station after school, I noticed a previous student in a car with a parent. I drove in, not really noticing much else. Before I knew it, as I pumped gas, this parent had turned round, pulled back into the gas station, got out of his car, came over to me, and introduced himself as a student's parent. This student, we'll call him T, I have known since he was in 6th grade. Supposedly, T talked about me all the time last year and now that I got moved to the high school with all the freshmen, the talk continues. T's father stood there, telling me this, and I just wanted to cry. This was one of the moments I had heard of before. The moment when you hear that what you did on a daily basis mattered to someone. T listened to me and still listens to me. He valued me. He valued what I was trying to do for these kids, for him and all his friends.
T has three older siblings. Unfortunately they have all taken Spanish instead of French, but I still know them all. This family of brothers and sisters are a few of the best I have had. They are some of the most polite, dedicated, respectful, and just nice kids I have known in my 9 years of teaching at Susquehanna Township School District. I can truly say I love them all dearly. As I said to T's father, I hope my boys end up like his boys, and I truly mean that.
This very short few minutes of conversation I had with T's father, with his sister there, made my year. I felt so appreciated. I felt so loved. I felt so accepted. T's father thanked me for what I did. He said I must be doing something right. I had made an impression.
I was the student that moment. I listened and I learned that I was doing something right.
September 1, 2013
That would make me so proud. I am so happy he took the time to tell you!
ReplyDelete